Welcome to Scottish Norwegian Connection

Scottish Norwegian Connection aims to maintain historical documentation and to develop relations and friendships between Scotland and Norway based on the cooperation that occurred during World War II based on the Norwegian Brigade's stay in Dumfries and elsewhere in Scotland 1940-1945

After the whaling season of 1939-40, the whalers did not go back to Norway as their ships were forbidden to return because of the German occupation. Most of them found refuge in Dumfries, in Scotland, and were there for the rest of the war. That has resulted in a close friendship and many family ties between Scots and Norwegians in the area and is celebrated by ‘Norwegian Commemoration Day’. Next year (2015), the celebration will be called ’75 years of Friendship’ and will take place on 16-18 October. It will then be 75 years since the whalers and other Norwegians came to live in Dumfries for five long years.

June 1940: The Battle of Norway is over, but hundreds of whalers have made their way to London after an exceptionally good season in the Antarctic Seas. They have signed off, been paid wages and have plenty of pounds in their pockets. Now they are eager to return to Norway in order to fight against the Germans. That turns out to be impossible. Five years in the Norwegian Brigade on Scottish soil are waiting.

BJORN HOELSETH

First stop is the small town of Dumfries far south in Scotland. Still old people are living there who were eyewitnesses when the first 200 Norwegians fell out of the railway coaches at the station, where a band was playing and the Lord Provost welcomed to the town. Curiosity was great.